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Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 2025
4/23/2025, 1:32 PM
Summary of Bill HR 1923
Some key provisions of the bill include:
1. Establishing a national strategy for wildland fire management that emphasizes prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. 2. Enhancing coordination between federal, state, tribal, and local agencies in managing wildland fires. 3. Providing funding for research and development of new technologies and strategies for wildland fire prevention and management. 4. Increasing training and resources for firefighters and first responders to better handle wildland fire incidents. 5. Implementing measures to protect communities and critical infrastructure from the impacts of wildland fires. Overall, Bill 119 HR 1923 seeks to improve the nation's ability to prevent and respond to wildland fires, ultimately reducing the risk of loss of life and property. It emphasizes a collaborative approach between various levels of government and stakeholders to effectively manage wildland fire incidents.
Congressional Summary of HR 1923
Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 2025
This bill addresses wildfires by expanding emergency and disaster assistance, establishing scientific monitoring, and increasing assistance for firefighting personnel. The bill is based on recommendations in a 2023 report from the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission, a congressionally established group of public and private experts.
The bill expands and expedites federal assistance for wildfire response, recovery, and mitigation by
- expanding presidential wildfire emergency and major disaster declarations to include natural hazard events stemming from the wildfire (e.g., landslides, floods) within three years after the fire,
- requiring payment to recipients within 90 days for certain emergency land restoration and disaster assistance for wildfires, and
- requiring increased accessibility of wildfire risk reduction and recovery grants.
Additionally, it authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to allow certain emergency and disaster grant recipients to use unexpended management cost funds for five years, including for capacity-building.
The bill requires federal agencies to enhance scientific wildfire monitoring and analysis by
- establishing a Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center to provide information and services to support community decision-making,
- establishing a national smoke monitoring and alert system for wildfire smoke, and
- developing dynamic risk maps.
The bill increases assistance for wildland firefighting personnel by
- establishing grants to colleges and training programs for educational or vocational programs in wildfire emergency management,
- increasing flexibility for wildland firefighters to retain retirement benefits, and
- establishing assistance (e.g., notification, counseling) for families of wildland firefighting personnel who are critically injured or killed.
Read the Full Bill
Current Status of Bill HR 1923
Bipartisan Support of Bill HR 1923
Total Number of Sponsors
6Democrat Sponsors
6Republican Sponsors
0Unaffiliated Sponsors
0Total Number of Cosponsors
3Democrat Cosponsors
2Republican Cosponsors
1Unaffiliated Cosponsors
0Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill HR 1923
Primary Policy Focus
Alternate Title(s) of Bill HR 1923
Comments
Amyra Andrews
8 months ago
I don't like this bill, it's gonna mess up everything. Why do they wanna do this? It's gonna make things worse for us. I don't want this to happen, it's gonna be bad for me and my family. I hope they change their minds about this bill. It's gonna be a disaster in the long run.
Hanna Kelley
7 months ago
This bill will only create more bureaucracy and red tape, not solve the real issues.
Emryn Orr
8 months ago
I support this bill.
